Gas-engine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1-.

N. B. RANDALL.

, GAS ENGINE.

N0. 355,101. Patented Dec; 28, 1886.

WITNESSES: v INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

U ITED STATES -PATENT FFTCE.

NoRMAN BENJAMIN RANDALL, or PHILADELPHIA, PRN'NsYLVANIAQ GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 355,101, dated December 28, 1886.

. Application filed June 3, 1886; Serial No. 204,030. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, NORMAN BENJAMIN RANDALL, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and the'State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved gas-engine. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. '3 is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 00 w in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of one end of the gas-compressor. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the front head of the air-compressor. Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of one of the airvalves of the air-compressor.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to the class of gas-engines in which the power is generated in the power-cylinder by the explosion of air and gas under compression; and the object of my invention is to utilize the heat which is commonly wasted in gas-engines for expanding the air supplied to the power-cylinder.

The invention consists of the combinations of parts, including their construction, substantially as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

The piston-rod guide A, supported by the base B, is provided with a flange, O, to which is secured the air-jacket D of the power-cylinder E; The air-jacket D is preferably cast integrally with the power-cylinder E. The air-jacket D is provided with a removable head, a, and the power-cylinder E is provided with a removable head, I). To the power-cylinder E is fitted the piston F,which is secured to the piston-rod G, extending through the sleeve 0, connecting the front heads of the airjacket and power-cylinder, and through the gland d, of the usual form, on the head of the air-j acket. The piston-rod G is connectedwith the cross-head H, received in the guide A. In the cylinder'head I, attached to or formed on the base B, is secured the air-compressor cylinder J, axially in line with the power-cylinder E. The air-compressor cylinder J is provided with a .piston, K, to which is attached a piston-rod, L, extending through a gland, e, on the head I. A series of valve apertures, f, are formed in the head I, around the gland e, and provided with valves fitted to seats on the inner surface of the head and surrounding the apertures f. The valves 9 are supported by spindles h, extending through guides t, secured to the cylinder-head. The spindles h are threaded at their outer ends, and provided with nuts j, between which and the guides 'i are placed spiral springs k, surrounding the spindles and tending to hold the valves to their seats.

The opposite or back end of the cylinder is provided with one or more valves, 9, opening into the cylinder, and mounted in the same manner as the valves at the front end of the cylinder. The cylinder J ,is provided with ports 1 1, leading to the valve-chambers m m, in which are placed the valves or n.

The valve-chambers above the valve-seats communicate with each other and with the pipe M, which leads to and communicates with the air-jacket D of the powercylinder. The piston-rod L is connected by an offset rod, N, with the cross-head H, so that the pistons of the power-cylinder and the compressor-cylinder move together. The crosshead H is connected by means of a connectingrod, O,with a crank, P, on the crank-shaft Q, journaled in boxes 0, supported by the base B.

To the shaft Q, is secured a fly-wheel,R, which serves to equalize the motion of the engine in the usual way.

In the lower side of the power-cylinder E are formed ports p19, communicating with the valve-chambers q q, formed in a body of metal connecting the power-cylinder and air-jacket at their lower sides. The valve chambers qq' communicate through an exhaust-passage, 1", with the exhaust-pipe s. Airsupply ports ft communicate between the air -spaoe of the jacket D and the valve-chambers q g. In the lower sides of the valve-chambers q q are formed ignition-ports to a, through which the explosive chargein the cylinder is ignited by the continuously-burning gas-jets a) o. w, communicating with the gas supply pipes of the gas-jets v 1), lead to the valve-chambers q q, to supply the ignition-chambers with a small quantity of gas.

In the valve-chambers q q are placed the os- Pipes cillating valves y y, which are chambered on diametrically-opposite sides, and are provided with a small transverse aperture,z, t"or igniting the charge in the cylinder. The valves y y are provided with spindles a a, to which are secured arms b b, which extend upward and are received in grooved cams c c", secured to the lay-shaft S, journaled in bearings secured to the side of the air-jacket D, and to the guides A. On the end of the lay-shaft S nearest the crank shaft Q is secured a miterwheel, 01, which takes motion from a similar wheel, d, on the crank-shaft Q. The earns a c are arranged relative to the movement of the piston F, so that the valves y y will admit air from the jacket D to the powercylinder, igniting the combustible mixture at the proper time in the stroke of the power-piston F, and open at the end of the stroke of the power-piston to allow the products of combustion to escape through the exhaust-passage r and the exhaust-pipe s.

The airports t t are provided with valves 6 whose spindlesff are provided with the arms 9 g, which are pivotally connected with the adjustingrod h. The rod h is screwthreaded and passes through a nut, i, secured valves 0 6''.

Below the air iacket D is suspended a gascompressor cylinder, T, containing a piston,

3 j, carried by the piston-rod k, which extends through a gland in the forward end of the compressor T.- Opposite ends of the gas-compressor cylinder T are provided with valvecasings U, each containing a suction-valve, l, and a discharge-valve, m. The lower or sup ply ends of the valvecasings are connected by the pipe V, which communicates with a gassupply pipe, WV, provided with a governorvalve, X. The upper ordischarge ends of the valve-casings U are connected directly with opposite ends of the power'cylinder.

The piston-rod k passes through a guide, n, formed in the side of the base B, and is connected by a link, 0, with the longer arm of the angled lever 19', the shorter arm of the angled lever 19 being connected by a rod, q, with the eccentric-strap r, surrounding an eccentric, s, on the crank-shaft Q. The spindle t of the governor Xis connected with the governor A, which receives motion through spiral gearing from the lay-shaft S. Gas having been admitted to the supply-pipe W, and the igniting-jets at having been lighted, the engine is revolved by means of the tly-wheel, thus drawing in air through the valves of the air-compressor, and forcing it through the pipe M into the air-jacket D. At the same time the gas-compressor T takes charges of gas from. the supply-pipe, and forces them alternately into opposite ends of the power-cylinder. As soon as the back end of the powercylinder has received the charge of explosive der in alternation, the gas-compressor T, forc- .imparting motion to the crank-shaft Q, also to the piston of the air-compressor J. Upon the opposite side of the piston the space in the power-cylinder E is filled with the products of combustion resulting from the charge previously exploded in that end of the cylinder, and the valve y is turned by the mechanism already described, so as to establish communication between the port 12' and the exhaustpassage 0", allowing the products of combustion to escape through the port, exhaust-passage, and the exhaust-pipe s. \Vhen the stroke in that direction is completed and the momentum of the flywheel starts the piston in the opposite direction, the valve y is turned so as to establish communication between the air-port t and the port 19, to admit air from the air-jacket D to the power-cylinder. the same time the gas-compressor T, having previously taken the charge of gas from the supply-pipe W, quickly forces a volume of gas into the 1)0W8I"Cy1il1d61,WhiOh mixes with the air and is exploded in the manner already described in connection with the opposite end of i the cylinder. As this operation is repeated the piston K of the air-compressor draws the air alternately from opposite ends of the cylinder and forces it through the ports Z l, the valve chambers m m, and pipe M to the jacket D, the charge thus forced into the jacket being retained by the check-valves h h The air in the jacket D is subject'to compression and to expansion by the heat of the powercylinder E, enlarging its volume and increasing its pressure, thus utilizing the heat of the power-cylinder, which is commonly carried off by water employed in keeping down the tem perature of the cylinder, and therefore lost.

Besides economizing the heat and reducing the temperature of the power-cylinder, I am enabled to maintain the power-cylinder at such a temperature as will prevent the burning of the oil used in lubrication, and also prevent the condensation of the steam generated by the ing. gas under pressure into opposite ends of the power-cylinderin alternation, and means, substantially as herein shown and described, for igniting the explosive charge contained by and eccentric s, the air-compressor J, provided with the piston K, and valves g h h the igniting-ports u u, and the mechanism connecting the moving parts of the engine, substantially as herein shown and described,

- NORMAN BENJAMIN RANDALL.

Vitnesses:

J OHN W. BOYD, SAML. B. S. EARTH. 

